Gate City Striders

Nutrition: 2-5inch pancakes and 1 tbsp syrup
Calories: 200, total fat: 2g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 41g, Fiber: 5g, Sugars: 11g, Protein: 7g, Sodium: 115mg, Cholesterol:0g

Ingredients:
3 medium  bananas, plus 1 sliced for garnish
½ cup low-fat milk ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats, ground to a coarse flour in a food processor
(about ¾ cup ground oats)
¼ cup rolled oats
½ cup whole-wheat flour
¼ tsp kosher salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
olive oil cooking spray

Preparation: Add bananas, milk and vanilla to blender and pure until smooth.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together ground oats, rolled oats, flour, salt and baking powder.  Fold banana puree into dry ingredients to form a thick batter.  Gently fold whipped egg whites into batter.  Heat nonstick griddle coated with cooking spray.  Add batter (1/4 cup batter for 5 inch pancakes).  Serve with banana slices and drizzle with pomegranate syrup.

Pomegranate syrup:
1 cup pomegranate juice
2 tbsp honey

Wisk juice and honey together in a saucepot.  Bring to boil over high heat, then drop the heat to medium.  Simmer until reduced to a syrup, about 15 minutes.  Cool slightly before using.

Nutritional Bonus: Pomegranate juice is high in three types of poiyphenois: tanniins, anthocyanins and ellagic acid.  Preliminary research has shown that these antioxidants may improve collagen integrity and support your vascular system.